Patricia Mendell, L.C.S.W.

Biography

Patricia Mendell is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Board Certified Diplomat. She is the facilitator of the Path2Parenthood Ovum Donor Seminar Series. Patricia has served as Co-Chair of Path2Parenthood since 2006. She is a member of the Path2Parenthood Mental Health Advisory Board. Patricia is co-author of the fact sheet for Path2Parenthood on “Talking to Children about Ovum Donation” reissued in 2009. In 2003 Patricia was a recipient of the Path2Parenthood Family Building Award and is a founding board member of the organization.

See More

Patricia has written and spoken extensively on numerous topics regarding fertility, third party reproduction and disclosure, parenting after fertility, multi-fetal reduction, and pregnancy loss and adoption. As an infertility and pregnancy loss survivor, she is well aware of the impact decision making choices on people’s lives. In her role as therapist and consumer advocate, she gives those seeking her help both practical and therapeutic advice on how to cope better with stress, resolve marital tensions and explore and select solutions to their family building dilemmas.

Patricia holds a BA from Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut, and an M.S. from Columbia University School of Social Work. She is a member of the American Society of Reproductive Medicine’s Mental Health Professional Group and a MHPG mentor. Patricia is married and is the proud mother of two sons David and Michael Singer. She and her husband have practices in New York City and reside in Park Slope, Brooklyn.

Peggy Orlin, M.S., M.F.T.

Biography

Peggy Orlin, MS, MFT is a Marriage and Family Therapist who specializes in the emotional aspects of infertility, third party family building, and adoption. She has been a therapist for 24 years, a counselor to those experiencing infertility for 15 years and has been affiliated with Pacific Fertility Center for the past 10 years.

See More

A native of Buffalo, New York, Ms. Orlin received a master’s degree from Hofstra University. She moved to the Bay Area in 1978 where she completed her postgraduate training at the Family Therapy Center in San Francisco and at the Marin Psychotherapy Institute.

Her personal history of infertility led her to sub specialize in infertility counseling. At Pacific Fertility Center, she has co-led stress reduction classes for patients and co-ordinates discussions for staff on ethical issues in reproductive medicine. Her involvement with third party family building includes psychological screening of all involved - donors, recipients and gestational surrogates.

Ms. Orlin’s professional associations include the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, where she is immediate Past Chair of the Executive Committee of the Mental Health Professional Group, and RESOLVE, the national infertility organization, where she is a member of their Mental Health Advisory Board. She regularly speaks at conferences on infertility.

She maintains an interest in disclosure and attachment issues that affect individuals and their children involved with ART and adopted children. In addition to her infertility counseling, Ms. Orlin enjoys working with couples, adults dealing with grief and loss, and those coping with anxiety and relationship problems.

In line with her long history of including stress reduction as an adjunct to her fertility counseling, Ms. Orlin has received Mind/Body Teacher Training with Alice Domar, PhD. (Dr. Alice Domar, is a pioneer in the development of mind/body programs for infertility.) She is co-teacher of Mind/Body@PFC Weekend Workshop.

Peggy Orlin, M.S., M.F.T.

Biography

Peggy Orlin, MS, MFT is a Marriage and Family Therapist who specializes in the emotional aspects of infertility, third party family building, and adoption. She has been a therapist for 24 years, a counselor to those experiencing infertility for 15 years and has been affiliated with Pacific Fertility Center for the past 10 years.

See More

A native of Buffalo, New York, Ms. Orlin received a master’s degree from Hofstra University. She moved to the Bay Area in 1978 where she completed her postgraduate training at the Family Therapy Center in San Francisco and at the Marin Psychotherapy Institute.

Her personal history of infertility led her to sub specialize in infertility counseling. At Pacific Fertility Center, she has co-led stress reduction classes for patients and co-ordinates discussions for staff on ethical issues in reproductive medicine. Her involvement with third party family building includes psychological screening of all involved - donors, recipients and gestational surrogates.

Ms. Orlin’s professional associations include the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, where she is immediate Past Chair of the Executive Committee of the Mental Health Professional Group, and RESOLVE, the national infertility organization, where she is a member of their Mental Health Advisory Board. She regularly speaks at conferences on infertility.

She maintains an interest in disclosure and attachment issues that affect individuals and their children involved with ART and adopted children. In addition to her infertility counseling, Ms. Orlin enjoys working with couples, adults dealing with grief and loss, and those coping with anxiety and relationship problems.

In line with her long history of including stress reduction as an adjunct to her fertility counseling, Ms. Orlin has received Mind/Body Teacher Training with Alice Domar, PhD. (Dr. Alice Domar, is a pioneer in the development of mind/body programs for infertility.) She is co-teacher of Mind/Body@PFC Weekend Workshop.

Piave Pitisci Lake, M.D., L.L.C.

Biography

Dr. Lake received her Bachelor’s Degree in Italian Literature from Bryn Mawr College in 1992. She was graduated from Tulane School of Medicine in 1997. She completed her residency in General Adult Psychiatry at the McGraw Medical Center of Northwestern University in Chicago in 2001 and served as Co-chief Resident during her fourth year of training.

See More

She became a diplomate of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology in 2002. She is a member of the American Psychiatric Association, the American Society of Reproductive Medicine, and the Mental Health Professional Group of ASRM. Dr. Lake has been in private practice as a general adult psychiatrist in Charleston, SC since 2002. She works individually with adults18 years to geriatric ages. She utilizes psychopharmacology and psychotherapy to treat a variety of problems, most commonly depression and anxiety. She has a special interest in treating those with infertility issues, women with perinatal and postpartum mood problems, and mood problems related to hormones. She also performs 3rd party evaluations, screenings and psychoeducational meetings for gamete donors, gestational carriers, and donor gamete recipients/intended parents. Please contact Dr. Lake at drpiave@mac.com.

Poonam Sharma, Ph.D.

Biography

I am Poonam Sharma, a licensed psychologist in private practice in San Antonio, Texas. I earned my Ph.D. in counseling psychology from The University of Texas at Austin in 1994. In my clinical practice, I provide psychotherapy for adults and specialize in working with people dealing with health issues, such as infertility, traumatic injury, and stress. My coaching work focuses on helping people increase their fitness levels, find balance in their lives, and achieve their most important personal and professional goals.

I believe that it takes a true partnership to bring about change in a person's life. My job is to bring you the professional expertise that I have developed through many years of education and training. Your job is to tell the truth, take risks to be open, and make an honest effort to follow through with what we discuss. I will work very hard to make it comfortable for you to be yourself so that you can take the emotional risks that are necessary for growth. I will believe in you every step of the way. As someone who has dealt with health challenges personally, I believe I have a unique perspective on living life fully, no matter what your personal limitations. My style is to listen compassionately to understand your situation clearly, help you set realistic goals, and then support you as you take steps that will move you toward the results you desire.